Birch Bark as Personal Ornamentation

Just how adaptable is birch bark? From spectacle cases to powder canisters to canoes, birch bark has been put to a remarkable range of uses by Mi’kmaw people. Yet, precious few examples of birch bark used as personal ornamentation have survived. This armband, which was probably made in the 1700s, comes from the Annapolis Valley region of Nova Scotia and was generously donated to the museum for safe-keeping.